Adding a flourish of luxe comfort can give a room a sexy, urbane, yet relaxed vibe. No wonder so many designers and retailers are responding to the trend.

At this year's Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York, designer Charles Pavarini's lounge incorporated a floating mother-of-pearl-clad fireplace, a hand-carved piano, a velvety ottoman, and accents of mirror and metal. It was a room in which all things might sparkle - decor, drinks and discourse.

November's Metropolitan Home magazine explores what glamour means to various designers. Some think shape or palette, others consider scale. Matthew White looks for "languid sensuality" while Jonathan Adler thinks "a room must have wit to be glamorous." Metropolitan Home also gathered 200 photos from the last five years into a new book, "Glamour: Making It Modern" (Filipacchi).

Metallic wallpapers and paints like Ralph Lauren's "Regent" series place the glow factor on the walls.

Look for silk, satin and linen fabrics, and organic elements such as crystals and pearls, rock and fur. Experiment with pattern: Baroque, classic lattice and stripes tend to work well, but there's nothing like a well-placed animal print to get a room purring. And while muted tones work well with this style, deeper hues look equally rich.

In her new "Glamorous Rooms" (Abrams), Jan Showers finds inspiration in decor icons like Dorothy Draper and Billy Baldwin, as well as the movie sets of Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Minghella. "Understated, sophisticated, perfectly elegant", enthuses Showers.

But beautiful rooms should be relaxed, too. "Comfort has to be a top priority," she says.

If you find yourself standing at the edge of a beautiful room not daring to go in, what's the point? The best glamorous accents invite us to sprawl, shoes off and feet up; to be entertained by the furnishings; to smoosh our fingers in the fabrics.

Pairing old and new pieces, such as vintage mercury glass with sleek Lucite, or an antique quilt on a contemporary bed, brings an element of surprise. As Met Home editor Michael Lassell says, the look "has to do with a certain theatricality. It doesn't have to be expensive. It's all about individuality and imagination."